“Did she spend the night?” says Clay.
“Technically no.”
“Which means,” says Zoey, “that you slept with her and then she left. So how was the sex?”
Ash’s eyebrows rise almost all the way to his hairline. “Excuse me?”
“How was the sex? Was it tame? Was it wild? Was she intoit? What did she say?You’re the greatest lover I’ve ever had?Nobody has ever done it for me the way you do?You sure do know how to satisfy a woman?”
Ash looks at Clay with an expression that says,Do I have to answer that question?Clay responds with a nod.
“Yeah,” says Ash. “She said some stuff like that.”
“And afterward,” says Zoey, “how much money did she say you owed her?”
Ash reddens again. “Five hundred.” He swallows hard. “Plus a tip.”
“Did you pay her?” says Clay.
“I told her I didn’t know she was going to ask for money. She never said she was a… you know… professional.” And with downturned eyes, he adds, “I’ve picked up women before. Many times. None of them have ever asked for money after. Well, almost none of them. At least in the United States. And then she said it should have been obvious because look at her and look at me and I’m old enough to be her father. And why on earth would she choose me if it wasn’t for five hundred dollars and a tip?”
Clay turns to Zoey and says, “Is five hundred the going rate around here? Sounds kind of steep.”
“You’re right,” says Zoey. “It is steep. But look at the way he dresses.” She rolls her eyes over to Ash. “He’s screaming that he has money. Then she sees this big house with a petting zoo… She probably thought five hundred was about right.” Zoey looks at Ash. “Did you pay her?”
“No,” says Ash with a firmness in his voice. “Well, not right away. I said I didn’t have five hundred dollars laying around the house. She said we could go to a cash machine in town. So I saidI lost my debit card because, you know, I shouldn’t have to pay for it. I don’tneedto pay for it. Women like me… Some women like me. They do.”
“Are any of them in their twenties?” says Zoey.
Ash pretends to think about this as if the answer is difficult, then says, “No.”
“Did she buy the lost debit card excuse?” says Clay. “Or do you think it’s possible she’d heard that one before?”
“She said,” starts Ash, “that if I didn’t pay her, I would have to answer to her boyfriend.”
“Meaning her pimp,” says Clay.
“I don’t know… That was the first time I ever… I…” Ash deflates even further. “I don’t know… Unless…”
Clay and Zoey share another look. Zoey helps herself to an Oreo, pops the whole thing in her mouth, and says, “Unless what?”
“You promise you won’t tell anyone if I tell you?”
“I’m the police, Ash. Who are you worried about us telling?”
“Just, you have to promise.” Ash sits up straighter to show them he means business.
“I can promise you this, Ash,” says Zoey. “If what you’re about to tell us does not involve criminal activity, we won’t tell anyone. If it does involve criminal activity, and you’re not involved, we won’t mention your name.”
“That works,” says Ash.
“But I can’t promise some lawyer won’t subpoena you.”
“Of course,” adds Clay, “if it comes to that, you’ll probably be in a lot more trouble then than if you just tell us now.” Clay’s hoping Ash doesn’t think this through because it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Again, trick of the trade.
Ash nods. It makes sense to him. “Okay. I’ll tell you.” He takes another Oreo, unscrews it, scrapes off the filling with his front teeth, and says, “I told Skye—I doubt that’s her real name…”
“Really?” says Zoey in a flat, dull tone. “I hadn’t considered that possibility.”
